Weeknight Dinner for Two

Cooking for one or two people can be a little tricky. We’ve create 12 delicious and simple recipes designed for two people. If you’re one, it’s perfect as you now have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!

* Check out our tips below on how to store ingredients and leftovers. What types of kitchen equipment to use and how to prevent food waste.

Tips for Cooking for One or Two People

Use recipes specifically designed for 1 or 2 people. The 12 recipes on this page are all suited to 2 people.
Invest in kitchen equipment that accommodate smaller amounts of ingredients.
Use your freezer! It’s help from wasting food and you don’t have to cook each night.
Get creative with leftovers – check out this article Plan-over Beef Recipes

To help you save time and dollars check out our tips on shopping, storing, freezing and thawing Canadian beef.

Taking Stock: Beef for the Fridge & Freezer

Grilled Steak with Barley Salad

Barley has a unique chewy texture and nutty flavour. Cooking barley is easy and can be ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe is super speedy if you are using leftover steak or roast beef – a tip: cook an extra steak when you barbecue for a meal short-cut at the ready. Barley can also be cooked ahead, cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months – another short-cut for speedy cooking.

Korean-Style Pan-Fried Steak Strips

These Korean-style seasoned steaks strips are delicious all on their own over steamed rice, or tucked in big romaine lettuce leaves for wrapping and munching, taco-style. Steamed broccoli makes a nice side dish.

Speedy Gyro Beef Salad

If you love a classic Greek gyro, you’re going to love this speedy weeknight dinner for two! The star of the show is the delicious ground beef that is combined with gyro must-haves: feta cheese, tomato, Greek olives and cucumber dressing. The same great restaurant flavours, fast and easy at home!

Personal Taco Pizzas

These personal-sized taco pizzas are easy, crispy and delicious! Another bonus is that each person can choose their own toppings!

Grilled Hawaiian Beef Kabobs

Beef kabobs are a great grill option when you have a gathering – the work can all be done in advance, the grilling is fuss-free and the serving is simple. This recipe for Grilled Hawaiian Beef Kabobs makes lots of extra sauce that's nice for dipping.

Patty Melts

Patty melts are hearty sandwiches that are pure comfort food. The juicy ground beef patty is tasty on its own and the slow-cooked caramelized onions give it even more crave-worthy flavour. Serve with a crispy side salad and your favourite grilled cheese accompaniments.

Doubled-Up Simple Beef and Spinach Soup

What the heck is stoup? Well, it’s somewhere between soup and stew with extra-thick broth and chunky veggies. Everyone loves one-pot meals and nothing makes a person happier than a warm bowl of nourishing beefy goodness! NOTE: this recipe makes a big batch for just two, so there will be extras for another meal (see Tip).

Beef Stroganoff Open-Faced Sandwiches

Who doesn’t love beef stroganoff? How about a simple weeknight dinner for two that packs all the flavour, but is on the table in a lot less time? Delicious ground beef smothered in a sour cream mushroom gravy is the perfect solution!

Baked Scotch Eggs

These are big, meaty and delicious. Enjoy them as a meal with steamed veggies or a side salad. Don’t forget to serve with some pickles and dipping sauce.

Skillet Beef Gnocchi

It’s easy to turn store-bought potato gnocchi into pillows of goodness with this simple and speedy dish. And the bonus… this makes 4 portions and the welcome leftovers are delicious reheated for lunch another day!

Chili Lime Steak with Cilantro Rice and Watermelon Salad

Peppery arugula and juicy watermelon salad add a pop of fresh to steak and whole grain rice dinner. A modest serving of beef provides 90% DV of your vitamin D daily needs. Absorption of the non-heme iron from the rice and arugula is enhanced by 150% by including meat in the meal.

Steak Hash

Time to clean out the fridge! Everyone has one red pepper, a lonely zucchini or other random vegetable(s) on hand and some leftover steak or roast from a dinner on the weekend. They’re all just waiting to come together into this delicious and healthy recipe for two!

Micro Meat Loaf

In this recipe the title “Micro” does mean small, however this meatloaf is also cooked in the microwave! The microwave is an amazing time-saving tool in the kitchen for steaming veggies, melting chocolate, and, in this case, baking personal-size meat loaves for 2.

Pan-Seared Steak Salad with Strawberries and Blue Cheese

This healthy salad is a huge blast of summer colour! Perfect for a simple weeknight dinner for two, this is a delicious choice for a mid-summer meal on the deck. If you don’t have strawberries on hand, substitute any summer fruit such as blueberries, cherries or sliced peaches.